Worth It
by luvsanime02
Summary: Duo's starting to regret letting Heero talk him into going out on the lake today.


**Disclaimer: **I don't own Gundam Wing, and am making no money off of this fic.

**AN: **Written for the June 21st Cocktail Party prompt found here: gwcocktailfriday . tumblr .com(/)post/185608967170/cocktail-friday-post-responses-on-friday-june. (Without the spaces and parentheses.)

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**Worth It** by luvsanime02

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Let's go out on the lake, Heero said. It'll be nice. The water is so blue today.

Duo makes a mental note never to listen to any of Heero's ideas anymore.

(He ignores the fact that he always ends up listening to Heero's ideas.)

Duo is hot, and the life jacket that he's wearing isn't helping anything, but like fuck is he taking it off. Isn't the air supposed to be cooler out on a lake? Something about the wind? Duo can't quite remember. Maybe because he feels like he's boiling alive.

The sun should not be this bright. It's amazing how far away the sun can be and still burn someone's skin. Duo did put on sunblock this morning, which he's patting himself on the back for, but he's not sure it's going to last the whole time. If Duo ends up burned red from this trip, he's going to camp out on Heero's couch and make him fetch Duo aloe gel and water every half an hour, just so that both of them can be miserable.

"This looks like a good place to stop," Heero says from behind him in the kayak, and Duo rolls his eyes but silently agrees. At least they're in partial shade at the moment.

Honestly, Duo can't believe that Heero sounds physically fine right now, but when he turns around and looks, Heero's not even sweating. _How._

Duo ignores Heero's smirk when he catches sight of Duo's face bright red from exertion and heat, because it's either ignore him or whack him over the head with the kayak paddle. Duo doesn't really want to be dumped into the lake in retaliation right now. He'd been forced to walk out into the lake for a couple of feet earlier before getting into the kayak, and the water is freezing cold.

Sticking his tongue out at his best friend instead, Duo sets the paddle down with relief, and tries to regain his breath. Seriously, the sun can go away any second now. Duo's had enough for one day. Heero rustles around behind him, and Duo peers over his shoulder to see that he's getting out the cooler. Okay, great, Duo could use a drink right now.

Of course, he's happy until he sees what Heero pulls out from the cooler. Duo makes a sour face when Heero hands him one of those summery beers. "You just wanted to get me out here in the middle of a lake, hot and thirsty, so that you could force your weird-tasting beer on me," he complains.

Heero doesn't even pretend to be ashamed. "Yep."

Grumbling, Duo drinks the damn beer, because it's that or nothing, and doesn't enjoy the taste even a little bit.

It's quiet out here. Peaceful. Duo closes his eyes and listens to the water gently rocking against the kayak, and has to admit that this part of the experience is nice. Now that he's no longer moving around, Duo's cooling off enough that he can appreciate the scenery when he opens his eyes again.

The water really is blue. The trees around the lake are reflected in the still surface, and everything looks like a damn postcard. Heero starts humming some song quietly behind Duo, just barely audible. It's a habit of Heero's that he only does when he's very relaxed and content, and the sound makes something uncoil inside of Duo. They've been really busy lately, and this is the first time they've had the chance to relax in weeks, and this isn't so bad, he thinks.

"Tell me you packed something else to eat besides your strange avocado and cucumber salad things," Duo pleads after a few minutes.

"There's a chicken salad sandwich for you," Heero says, and Duo sighs in relief, ignoring when Heero rolls his eyes in return. Duo has the right to be suspicious.

Still, this isn't so bad now. Duo will undoubtedly change his mind when they start rowing again, but for now, this is kind of nice. Pleasant, even.

"I still haven't forgiven you for waking me up at six this morning," Duo says flatly, "but… this is okay."

Heero snorts softly in amusement. "Thanks," he says, dryly and sincere at the same time, in the way only Heero can be, and then the two of them fall back into a companionable silence, enjoying the rest of their day out on the lake.


End file.
